Hot-air supply to intake manifolds



May 29, 1923.

HOT AIR SUPPLY TO INTAKE MANIFOLDS Filed Aug. 5, 1922 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

1,457,043 F. W. SCHRAMM v v Patented May 29, 1923.

J FREDERICK W.JSGHRA1YIM, or srnmerrnnn, MAssAoHnsEgTs;

T all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S HRAMM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden andState of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Hot-Air Supply to Intake Manifolds, of

V which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ifold passage, a certain peculiar distributor mounted on said tubular members and opera ing into the same, a valve for said distributor, means to operate said valve from and with the member by means of which the needle-valve of said carburetor ismanipulated by the operator at a point behind the dashboard of the machine, and a tubular connection between said distributor and the outside of the exhaust pipe of 'said'engine, together with such o-ther'parts and members as may be necessary ordeSirableinorder to render the attachment complete in every re"- spect, all as hereinafter set forth.

It is well known that the exhaust pipe of an internal-combustion engine becomes very hot and radiates a large amount of heat, and the primary object of my invention' is to provide such engine with comparativ'ely simple and inexpensive eans for heating with such hot air the combustible mixture discharged from the carburetor intoth'einlet manifold, such hot air beingintro: duced' directly 'intosuch mixture, whereby the quality ofsaid n'iixture-is improved, the

speed and power of the engine increased, and d a saving in fuel-effected. I

Another object is to produce an attachment of this character which can be readily attachedto the coupling between the carburetor and inlet manifold of the engine, and arranged in effective relation tothe exhaust pipe of said engine.

riqfurther object is to control the passage through the device of the hot air from the exterior of the exhaust pipe, through. @116 me the carburetor.' V Other objects and HOT-AIR SUPPLY TO INTAKE MANI FOLDs. Applicationfiled August 3, 1922. Serial No. 579,352.

dium'ofthe same rod that is provided controlling or'operating the needle-valve of in the course of the,followic ligdescription. v

I attain the objects anvantages ojtmy invention b'y'themeans illussecure the,v adadvantages will appear trated inthe accompanying drawingsyin' Figure 1 is a top plan andjpart ial's ection- I of a hot-air supply for inlet manifolds,

which embodies a practical form of my invention; Fig, 2,' a reduced, central, longi:

tudinal section through thedistributor Fig. t

3, a vertical section taken, onv l'inesl3 jf3 in Fig; 1, following the generaldirections indi'cat'edby lines ;3'-3 in Fig. 2, and on rectionof the associated arrows; 1? ig a plan ofthe special gasket used in theattachment, and, Fig. 5, 'a detail illustrating I the manner in whlchfconne'ction' or gnta'cft is made with the exhaust pipe,

Si, 'lar-v reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views.

I 1 first: we vi w a .rr em nery'pe tio'n', in section and elevation respectively,

of an inlet manifold is represented at 1, the

adjacent terminal portion, also in section and levation respectively, of a carburetor at 2; and part of a rotatable rod at il-for the adjustment ofthe needle-valve (not shown) of saidcarburetor. A fragment of an ex haust pipe appears at 5 in Fig- 3, and the same is shown in cross section in Fig. 5;

These parts and members are old and well known, Therarburetor 2 and the manifold 1 are provided at adjacent ends with coupling flangesfila's usual, whiclrflanges extend outwardly from. opposite sidesof said carburetor and manifelashd are per fol ated to receive bolts byimeans of which such sented' at 7, but the -samediffers from the gasket commonly used, eizplaiiied below.

The'gaslret 7, Fig'.' {15, has a large 'central posed extensions or slots communicating at their inner ends w th said longitudinal or} horizontal parts; er er said gasket. The" 'opening 8 is of the-same flanges are secured t 6gether with a t gasket between. A gasket is here repre 10o 0 enin 8 therethrou"h W, .ith oppositely" -'dis; Y

P s g diameter as that of the adjacent terminals manifold 1, and said passages connnunicate with each ot-herthrough said opening. The width of each slot 9 in the gasket 7 corresponds with the diameter of the companion bolt openings through th flanges 6von either side of the central, vertical plane or the carburetor and manifold, with which openings the outer end of said slot registers when said gasket is properly arranged be tween said flanges.

" The flanges 6 are secured togetherand the gasket 7 tightly compressed. between them and the adjacent ends of the carburetor 6 and manifold 1, by means of a pair of horizontal, tubular members or tubes 10. The tubes 10 have, adjacent to their inner or rear terminals, shoulders 11-11 which abut. the front face of the flange 6 on the manifold 11, and the terminal portions of said tubes back of said shoulders pass through the bolt openings in both flanges 6 and through the gasket slots 9, and project beyond the back side'of the carburetor flange to receive nuts 1212, such terminal portions being ei'zternally screw-threaded for that purpose. The nuts 12 are screwed up tightly on the protruding, rear terminals of the tubes 10, against the back side of the carburetor flange 6. Thus the flanges 6 are securely held'together with the gasket T between by the shoulders 11 and the nuts 12, and the tubeslO are firmly supported and held in place. The rear end of each tube 10 is closed by a plug 13. Grifices 14,14: are located in adjacent sides of the tubes 10 in position to register with the gasket slots 9, sothat passageways are formed, from the passages in said tubes to. the pas sage in the manifold 1, through the orifices ll and slots 9 andthe opening 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Each tube 10 is further provided with a shoulder 15 which is located adjacent to the forward end thereo t. Mounted. on the "for- ,ward terminal portions of the tubes 19 is a member which I term a distributor 1.6, such distributor having transverse openings 12-17 in the base portions thereof to re ceive said terminal portions of said tubes. The interior of the passage ineach tube 10 is screw-threaded adjacent to the forward end of such passage to receive an adj usting screw 18. The screws 18 are provided with nuts 19 by means of which said screws are looked. after adjustment, and the distributor 16 is held securely in place on the tubes 10, since said nuts 19 bear against the front side/of said distributor and force the latter against the .shoulders 15. There are two oblique passages 20 in the distributor 16 which passages: connect at their bottom ends with the openlugs 17 below, and there is an orifice 21 in thetop of each'tube 10 so located that one of said passages connects at the bottom with said orifice, thus establishing communication I passage and the interior of said projection 22 and a rear projection 23.

There is a horizontal passage 24: which extends from the longitudinal, central plane oi the distributor 16' forwardly through the projection 22, and a horizontal passage 25 of larger diameter in the projection 23, said passages being in line with each other. The rear end of the passage 25 is closed by a plug 26, and a valveseat 27 is formed at the forward terminal of said passage where the same joins the passage 24. Two oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending passages 28 connect the passages 26 at the top with the inner or rear end of the passage 24.

A valve 29 is located in the passage 25 and adapted to close the valve-seat 27. The valve 29 has a stem 30 which extends rear- .wardly from said valve through the plug 26 and. beyond the same. A spiral spring 31 encircles the valve-stem 30 between the plug 26 and the valve 29, and normally retains I said valve on the valve-seat 27.

The adjusting rod 4 is provided with an arm 32, and a spiral spring 33 has one end connected with said arm and the other end connected with the valve-stem 30. The spring 33 when contracted is'weaker than the spring 31, but the relative strengths of said springs are such that, when said firstnamed spring is expanded, the resistance of said second-named spring is come, and the valve-stem 30 is actuated rearwardly, thus moving the valve 29 oil of the valve-seat 27. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that these actions take place when the rod a, with the arm 32, is partially rotated in the direction of the encircling arrow. W hen the rod 4 with its arm is then actuated in the opposite direction, the force of the spring 33 is decreased to an extent which enables the spring 31 to move the valve 29 into closed position. The extent to which the valve 29 is opened or closed depends, of course. on the amount of movement imparted overto the arm 32 by the rod 4. The greater the named valve is completely closed and communication entirely out off betweensa-id passages.

Tapped into the front end. of the extension 23'; is an elbow 34k arranged with one terminal directed upwardly, and tapped into such terminal. If desired, the edges of the terminal 86 may be, serrated, in order to enable air to enter the pipe 35 in suiiicient volume. lVhen the valve 29 is open, hot air from the exterior of the exhaust pipe 5 is sucked into the terminal 36 and passes through the pipe and the elbow 34 into the passage 24twvhere it may be retarded to a greater or less extent, according to the position of said valve, and onward to the manifold 1, through the inter? vening passages and openings. The hot air isdrawn in by the suction of the pistons of the engine.

The size of each orifice 21 may be increased or decreased by adjusting the associated screw 18 out or in, thus limiting or regulating the maximum volume of hot air that can escape from the passage 22 above said orifice into the passage in the tube 10 in which said orifice is located.

Although the operation of this hot-air supply device as a whole will be generally understood from the foregoingdescription, a brief explanation of the same is given below. I

When the arm 32 is disposed by the rod at in the position illustrated in Fig; 3, the valve 29is in closed position, but the needlevalve is wide open or at least in position to admit a comparatively large volume oi: liquid fuel into the carburetor 2. Upon partially rotating the rod ain the direction of the encircling arrow,- to decrease theat'oresaid volume of fuel, the valve 29% opened, through the medium of the arm '32, the spring 33, and the valve-stem 30, to permit hot air from outside of the exhaust pipe 5 to be sucked in, through the pipe the elbow 3%. the passages 24,, 28, and 20, the

orifices 21. the tubes 10, the orifices l4, and

the slots 9 and openings 8 in thee'asltet .7,

to the manifold l. The hot air enters the opening 8 laterally from approximately diametrically opposite directions. so that the necessary balance is obtained and. main tained, and said air intermingles to the best advantage with the conibustioi mixture wrhich is bcingidrawn into the manifold romthe carburetor 2. The con'ibustible mixtureis thus-heated by. the hot air. with the result that a greatly improved and more highly combustible mixture its delivered. t0

the cylinders of the engine, and'less liquid fuel is needed and consumed: Since less liquid fuel is needed, the needle-valve of the carburetor can be more nearly closed than would be the case in'the absence of the hot air supplied b means of my attachment, wherefore is e ecte'd the saving in tuel, and

with this are attained greater engine power and speed, due to the improved mixture finally delivered to, the cylinders. As the rod-4i is manipulated trom time to time to increase or decreaseth flow of liquid fuel, the valve 29 is correspondinglyactuated. to increase or decrease the volume of the sup ply of hot air from the exhaust. hen the rod l is turned on its axisjto closethe needle.- valve as .far as its permanent adjustment permits, the valve 29 is opened wide, but

this is of-no. particular importance. Although theattaehme'nt is designedv more especially for machines of the Ford type, it

may be. adapted for othertypes of machines. More or less change in the shape, size,'construction, and arrangement of some or allot the parts of this device may be made, with.- out departing from. the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of is claimed. I p i What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.. v p 1. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with the carburetor'and' manifold and; the exhaust pipe. of an. engine, of a distributor communicatingwiththe interiors said carburetor and manifold?at; approximately diametrically opposite points, and a pipe in open cornmunicationat one end with said distributor, and open atthe other end, said la-stnamed open end being placed against. the 'outm'del of said exhaust pipe, and the edges of theopening in said last-named end beingirregularso. as to leave spaces. between-the. same and exhaust on said tubular members and having therein a passage to receive hot air frointhe .out-.

side ot an exhaust pipe, and passages communicating with said first-named passage and with said tubular members,.a valve to control theeseape of said air him said firstnamed' passage, and operating means for said valve.

. 8. The combination, in an attachment the class described, with a carburetor. an

in et me e-felt an a enomeetwee ai carburetor and manifold, which coupling has approximately oppositely-disposed end portions that extend beyond said carburetor and manifold, of independent tubular members connected with said projecting-end portions, and opening through said coupling into said manifold, a] distributor mounted on said tubular members and having therein a pas sage to receive hot air from the outside of the exhaust pipe. and passages communicating with said first-named passage and with said tubular members, a valve to control the escape of said air from said first-named parsage, means for operating said valve, and adjustable members arranged insaid tubular members to regulate the entrance of the hot air from said distributor into said tubular members.

4. In an attachment of the class described, a distributor having therein lower transverse openings for the reception of tubular members, hot-air-receiving and valve-re ceiving passages which are in line with each other and parallel with the axes of said openings, and passages which extend outwardly and downwardly to Lconnect said hotair-receiving passage with said openings.

5. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with a carburetor and an inlet manifold, both having perforated coupling flanges, and a gasket receivable be tween said flanges, said gasket having there in a large central opening and slots extending outwardly from said opening, of tubular members receivable in the perforations in said flanges and in said slots, and opening laterally into the latter, and means to secure said tubular members in place and bind said flanges and gasket together.

6. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with a coupling between a carburetor and inlet manifold, provided with approximately diametrically opposite passageways opening into the passage in said manifold, and an exhaust pipe, of tubular members connected with said coupling at approximately diametrically opposite points and opening into said passageways. a distributor mounted on said tubular members and having therein passages which open into said members and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubular connection leading from one of said lastnamed passages to the exterior of said exhaust pipe, but not penetrating the same, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, an operating means for said valve.

7. The combination. in an attachment of the class described, with a coupling between a carburetor and inlet manifold, provided with approximately diametrically opposite passageways opening into the passage in said manifold, and an exhaust pipe, of tubular members connected with said coupling at approximately diametrically opposite points and opening into said passageways, a distributor mounted on said tubular members and having passages therein which open into said members and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubular connection leading from one of said lastnamed passages to the exterior of said exhaust pipe, but not penetrating the same, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, a spring arranged normally to maintain said valve in its closed position, and means to open said valve.

8. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with the coupling between a carburetor and inlet manifold, provided with approximately diametrically opposite passageways opening into the passage in said manifold, and an exhaust pipe, of tubular members connected with said coupling at approximately diametrically opposite points and opening into said passageways, a distributor mounted on said tubular members and having passages therein which open into said members and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubula-r connection leading from one of said lastnamed passages to said exhaust pipe outside of and without penetrating the same, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, said valve having a stem, a spring arranged normally to maintain said valve in its closed position, and means to open said valve, such means consisting of a rotatable rod provided with an arm, and a spring connecting said arm with said stem.

9. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with laterally-extending perforated flanges at adjacent ends of a carburetor and an intake manifold, a gasket centrally perforated and longitudinally slotted to register with, the passages in said carburetor and manifold and the perforations in said flanges, and an exhaust pipe, of tubes inserted in said perforations and the slots in said gasket, and having orifices therein to open into said slots, means to secure said tubes to said flanges and to bind said flanges and gasket together, a distributor mounted on said tubes and having therein passages which open into said tubes and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubular connection leading from one of said last-named passages to said exhaust pipe outside of the same, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, and operating means for said valve.

10. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with the coupling between a carburetor and inlet manifold, provided with lateral passageways opening into the passage in said manifold, orificed tubes connected with said coupling and opening through certain of the orifices into said passageways, a distributor mounted on said tubes, and having therein passages which open into said tubes through certain others of said orifices, and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubular connection leading from one of said lastnamed passages to the exterior of said exhaust pipe, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, and operating means for said valve.

11. The combination, in an attachment of the class described, with laterally-extending perforated flanges on adjacent ends of a carburetor and an intake manifold, a centrallyperforated and longitudinally-slotted gasket between said flanges, with the perforation therein registering with the passages in said carburetor and manifold, and the slots therein registering with the perforations in said flanges, and an exhaust pipe, of tubes the rear terminal portions of which are introduced into the perforations in said flanges and pass through said slots, and have orifices therein to open into said slots, said tubes being shouldered to abut the manifold flange, and said terminal portions being externally screw-threaded, nuts on the screwthreaded parts behind the'carburetor flange, a distributor mounted on the forward terminal portions of said tubes, the latter being shouldered to form abutments for said distributor behind, and internally screwthreaded at their forward ends, adjusting screws in said ends, nuts on said screws to abut the front side of said distributor, said tubes having therein orifices adjacent to said screws, and said distributor having therein passages which open into said last-named orifices, and other passages which open into 7 said first-named passages, a tubular connection leading from one of said last-named passages to said exhaust pipe outside of the same, a valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage therein into which said tubular connection opens, and operating means for said valve. 5

12. The combination, in an attachment of carburetor andan intake manifold, a Centrally-perforated and longitudinally-slotted gasket between said flanges, with the perforation therein registering with the passages in said carburetor ,and manifold, and the slots therein registering with the perfora- V tions in said flanges, and an exhaust pipe, of tubes the rear terminal portions of which are introduced into the perforations in said the class described, with laterally-extending perforated flanges on adjacent ends of a.

tributor behind, and internally screw thread-' ed at their forward ends, adjusting screws in said ends, nuts on said screws toabut the frontside of said distributor, said tubes having therein orifices adjacent to said screws, and said distributor having therein passages which open into said last-named orifices, and other passages which open into said first-named passages, a tubular connec{ tion leading from one of said last-named passages to said exhaust pipe outside of the same, a spring-pressed valve arranged in said distributor to open and close the passage into which said tubular connection opens, said valve having a stern, .a rotatable rod provided with an arm, and a spring connectingsaid arm with said stem.

FREDERICK W. SCI-IRAMM. Witnesses: F. A; CUTTER;

R. E. ALLBEE. 

